All About Adult Day Care Services & Centers

Caregivers of older and disabled adults often think it is cruel to leave their wards behind at an adult day care center. However there should be no guilt in this. If you are unable to provide the care that an elderly disabled person requires due to time constraints and other responsibilities, you may seriously want to consier adult day care services. Particpants can interact with others at the center and recive care giver services while the primary caregiver is at work or completing other errands during the day.

Senior Adult Day Care: What Is It?

According to Help Guide, “Adult day care is a planned program of activities designed to promote well-being though social and health related services. Adult day care centers operate during daytime hours, Monday through Friday, in a safe, supportive, cheerful environment. Nutritious meals that accommodate special diets are typically included, along with an afternoon snack.”

Adult day care centers may be run by the state or federal government or can be privately operated as well.

Senior Adult Day Care – Purpose

As per the National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA) there are more than 4000 adult day care centers across USA. The proliferation of centers over the past two decades corresponds to the “mushrooming demand for home and community based services” to meet the needs of a rapidly escalating elder population. Many wonder what the purpose of an adult day care center. It is in fact pretty much the same as a child care center, except this one is designed for adults and for caregivers of disabled elderly people. Adult day care services prove extremely useful and helpful and serve many purposes.

They provide welcome recreation and socialization opportunities to adults.

They provide caregivers a achance to take a break, much the same way child care centers provide breaks to parents.

Caregivers who have to work and are unable to care for their wards during the day find adult day care centers very useful and helpful.

Adult Day Care Services Provided

Adult day care centers provide a variety of services including but not limited to the list below:

Arts and crafts

Musical entertainment and sing-a-longs

Mental stimulation games such as BINGO

Stretching or other gentle exercise

Discussion groups (books, films, current events)

Holiday and birthday celebrations

Local outings.

As the primary care giver for a disabled elderly patient, if you are looking for a break, an adult day care center might just be what you need.